One thing I know is that the social potential for video cameras in relation to traffic management are immense. The problem is that their potential for abuse when coupled with other sorts of technologies is absolutely frightening. I don't believe that potential is enough to avoid them out of hand.
It is not only communication. Privacy is also needed on public places (e.g., violated by face recognition systems), at work places (e.g.,violated by telephone tapping), for your body (e.g., endangered by abortion control),
No, what is needed in public places is anonymity. We want to be treated just like everyone else. We specificaly don't want any identity.
It is important to set clear guidlines and codes of practice for such technological innovations, well in advance of the digital revolution making new and unforseen opportunities to collate, analyze, recognise and store such visual images. Such regulation will need to be founded on sound data protection principles and take cognizance of article 15 of the European Data Protection Directive. Essentially it says that: "Member States shall grant the right of every person not to be subject to a decision which produces legal effects concerning him or significantly affects him and which is based solely on the automatic processing of data". The attitude to CCTV camera networks varies greatly in the European Union, from the position in Denmark where such cameras ar banned by law to the position in the UK, where you can find one of the most advanced CCTV network coverage in Europe and where the issue of regulation and control have been perhaps more developed then anywhere else.